When talking with printers and designers about "problem" projects, you will hear horror stories from both about files that will not work no matter how they are saved, software version incompatibilities, proofing and printing problems, general mis-communication and more.

Not only can pre-press problems cause delays in printing which may bring a marketing plan to a standstill, but finger-pointing and the stress can turn a pleasant, creative experience into the project from hell.

The role of the graphic designer

Graphic designers are hired primarily to create effective, attention-getting designs and to produce pre-press files that printers can use to mass-produce brochures, publications and the like.

Designers are also responsible for bridging the world of the commercial printing and design, helping the client through the complex world of printing specifications, paper selection, soft and hard proofs and getting ink on paper.

With so many robust graphic design tools on the market such as Adobe Illustrator, Quark XPress, Adobe InDesign, Coral Draw and others, to name a few, creating pre-press files that work flawlessly with any commercial print shop should be a piece of cake, right?

Well, yes--and no. While many of today's design and pre-press tools are first-rate, they are only part of the overall print production process. It's really up to the designer to make sure all parties involved in any given printing project are all on the same page.

The importance of communication

When working with clients, my approach has always been to establish early on in the project what printer will be involved in reproducing the project. Having worked for several offset printing shops early on in my career, I learned that there is always a right way, a wrong way and their way. While the printing industry follows general guidelines and while most printing companies have similar internal pre-press operations, every shop is a little different in their approach and workflow.

If possible, I try to have a conversation with the client's printer right away to determine what pre-press programs they support in native format and what are alternatives to supplying the native files. If my client does not have a printer he or she wants to work with, I will suggest a printer who is a good match for the type of printing needed, and someone I have worked with before and have a working knowledge of or experience with.

Using PDF files correctly

In the "good old days" we either submitted to a printer the "native" files or we could submit PostScript files which would contain all the font outlines and layout information, independent of the program used to create the document. But even this approach had it's share of film and plate output problems and if changes needed to be made to the file, the printer had to contact the designer and have the original file corrected and a new PostScript file generated and sent to the printer.

PDF files potentially can serve as a way to give the printer one file to print from without worrying about fonts, support files, or the printer having the latest versions of the document software, etc. By far the biggest advantage is that both clients and all involved in the project can use Adobe Reader to view and print the project, whereas PostScript files were far less portable and often you didn't know there was a problem until film or plates were produced.

All PDFs are not created equal

While we live in a world of Adobe PDFs which at first seem to be the perfect solution to printing companies having to keep up with all the various pre-press programs available today, there are different types of PDF files and they are not always the best approach.

I have been working with the Adobe Creative Suite for some time now and it is relatively easy to create different types of PDFs. Depending on your needs, you can create a client proof or a printing file.

For example, you can export a PDF from InDesign as a Print PDF, Screen PDF, Press PDF and you can customize the PDF with various options when you save it. With so many options, what is the best way to save the file for your commercial printer?

The answer is, you have to ask your printer--never assume anything.

Using "Native" Files

Some designers find it easier to send to their printer the original InDesign, Quark XPress or other layout program file, along with support files. The biggest reason for doing this is that if the client indicates a change to the printer's proof, the printer can make the required change (as long as the overall design is not changed or copy is not reflowed substantially), instead of the designer being a part of the process.

If you have ever had a project fall victim to Murphy's Law and have experienced working with a printer where no matter what fonts you sent, their system didn't want to print your file right, you may want to consider sending the printer InDesign or Illustrator files where the type has been converted to outlines. While this eliminates any font issues, it creates an extra step and if changes to the file need to me made, the designer will have to have a version of the file with all the type intact.

In some cases, a printer may want your native files instead of PDFs.

Working with the printer

It's always best to work with an offset printer you have some experience with so you know up front what to expect in terms of proofing, file approval and for dealing with problems that may arise.

Having some previous experience with a "can do", problem-solving printer can be great when you have a project that pushes the limit of your pre-press and printing knowledge. While printer's may not have a "graphic designer" on staff, they always have several people who are very pre-press savvy and who work with the challenges of trapping, file problems and the like on a daily basis. These professionals can be a great resource for you and will often provide some advice and feedback on a project for free.